Ellen Cohen

June2014

Ellen Cohen is an Innovative Problem-Solver

Being a dedicated public servant means confronting difficult problems. Infrastructure erodes, communities grow apart, and new constituent needs develop. Local government requires an honest approach, facing these dilemmas head on. Our DMO of the Month is not afraid to address public vulnerabilities with innovative solutions. Meet Ellen Cohen, Council Member from Houston and our DMO of the Month for June.

Council Member Cohen has pioneered multiple projects in Houston to test new ideas. She participated in a pilot single stream recycling program, where community members place their recyclables, unsorted, into a single container for pickup. Increased enthusiasm with this method has seen tens of thousands of households adopt the new program, with more interested in joining. Cohen also developed and passed the creation of the Washington Avenue Parking Benefit District. The parking meters associated with this program provide a revenue stream that feeds back into the community, funding everything from better neighborhood sidewalks to improved lighting. Through her position as Chair of the city’s Quality of Life Committee, Cohen is also looking into modernizing a cost-inefficient golf course to include a Botanic Garden. These projects find different ways to improve her district's infrastructure while breathing new life into existing neighborhood landmarks.

Creating safe communities for her constituents is also a top priority for Cohen. She advocated for an ordinance to address the backlog of over 6,000 untested rape kits the city couldn’t afford to process. The necessary funding now comes from the city’s gentleman clubs, who have instituted a $5 fee per customer to cover the costs. She also supported the creation of a million dollar annual fund to combat human trafficking, revenue for which also comes from such establishments. The council member formed the “Cohen Ambassador Program”, designating a volunteer from each civic group in her district as a point-person for the issues in their respective community. The program has developed a network of engaged citizens, who share best practices and keep Cohen informed on local needs. In her social advocacy, Cohen creates safer neighborhoods and empowers people to look out for one another.

Forward-thinking initiatives also keep Cohen prepared to manage problems still ahead. She is a project adviser for the Houston General Plan, a guide for future legislators on everything from infrastructure and neighborhoods to healthcare. Her website features local news articles and a “This Week at City Hall” report, using technology to easily keep her citizens connected to government. Finally, Ellen Cohen championed an equal rights ordinance providing formal protection to LGBT, racial, gender, and other minorities in the city of Houston. Whether she is crafting recommendations for future lawmakers or bringing social policy into the modern era, Cohen is preparing Houston to meet the needs of a 21st Century city.

Ellen Cohen meets the challenges of serving Houston head on. As she finds creative solutions to aging infrastructure, modernizes social policy, and plans for the city’s future, Cohen directly confronts the problems facing Houston. The willingness to take on these situations and successfully address them is why we are naming Ellen Cohen our DMO of the Month for June. Dedicated Democrats like Cohen are part of why DMO is so excited to visit Texas this November. We hope to see Council Member Cohen and other fantastic Texas DMOs at NLC's Congress of Cities and Exposition in Austin later this year.

Council Member Ellen Cohen was first elected to the Texas State Legislature in 2006. She continued her public service by moving closer to her constituents, winning her city council election in 2011. She worked as Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee and as CEO of the Houston Area Women’s Center. Cohen has served on several task forces, including the National Violence Against Women Advisory Council, the Governor’s Planning Council for the STOP Violence Against Women Campaign, and the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.